The Carefree Breakdown: Chapter 4

Continued :]

Chapter Four
 
 Rosie walked into the town grocery store with a smile. This store held many memories that were exciting and enhancing. She grabbed all of the items that she needed to make her favorite dinner: baked ziti. It was kind of like spaghetti but much, much better.
 She made her way to the line and snatched out her checkbook when she noticed the man behind her.
 "Hello again," he said smiling.
 "What are you doing here?" Rosie sputtered.
 "Buying groceries. Is that okay with you?"
 She didn't say anything.
 He looked her in the eyes. "Did you get my flowers?"
 She couldn't believe it. "That was you?"
 "I'm assuming you liked them."
 "No I didn't. I just didn't think you would send flowers."
 "And why not?"
 "Because you're not a thoughtful person."
 "You don't know that." She noticed a hint of hurt in his voice.
 "Oh yes I do," she snapped, not caring how it affected him.
 "Rosie."
 She raised her eyebrows, waiting.
 "I want to talk. We need to talk about this and you know it. You can't just ignore me anymore. It's been long enough to get past it and realize you can't keep holding grudges especially on someone who you once cared about."
 "Our trust was broken. I can't sew it back together with an apology."
 He was speechless. He opened his mouth for a moment looking like he was about to say something, but then closed it immediently. She knew that would always make her wonder what he wanted to say.
 "I understand. You have every right to be mad. But you know holding grudges isn't your specialty. Can't we just talk?"
 She hesitated. "I . . I don't know."
 "Come on, Rose."
 "Maybe some other time."
 "Why?"
 "I'm making dinner for my family tonight and I don't have time for you today."
 "Okay fair enough. Thank you for considering it."
 He walked out of the store leaving his full cart of food behind him.

 

That night she was suprised at how good her dinner was. Baked ziti had always been the family favorite but she never had once baked it or ate ziti since she left the country. In fact, she stopped doing a lot of things she enjoyed since then.
 "How's your hobby coming along?" her father asked Rosie.
 "What hobby?" She recognized the confusion in her voice.
 "Photography."
 "Oh," was all she could think of to say.
 Paul studied her, waiting for her to answer him.
 "I guess I've just been busy," she finally stated.
 "So you've stopped?"
 "I don't know. Time gets the best of me these days."
 He barely nodded his head in response. Her father had always been against giving up, but he wasn't about to start an argument.
 "How's school going, Tucker?"
 "I don't know."
 "Any of your friends come and see you lately?"
 "Just Carly."
 Phil looked up just as Rosie's eyes glanced at Tucker.
 "Carly, huh?" he questioned.
 "Yeah," Tucker responded blankly.
 "Are you- you know."
 "No."
 Rosie sighed. Whoever didn't see my brother for who he truely is happens to be the most unlucky person in the world, she said to herself.
 The only sound they heard after that was the sound of forks hitting the plates or the chewing of their food.
 Rosie and her grandmother both volunteered to wash the dishes together after everyone was finished so they could all have some times to themselves.
 "He really is a nice guy, Nana. I don't see why Carly doesn't see that," she explained. "I can't understand."
 "I know. Maybe they're just meant to be good friends and Tuck just can't see past that right now. It could be because he's on so much medication or maybe because she's really the only person that ever visits him anymore."
 "What?"
 "Yeah. She is the only one that visits him."
 "What happened to Kolt and Wyatt and Stephen?"
 She shrugged. "I guess they got tired of only having to come over here and sit next to his bed or watch TV all day. Boys can't just do nothing."
 "But that doesn't mean they can't come visit their best friend."
 "Rose, I know. We all do. Carly's really the only one who comes atleast three times a week. Have you seen her?"
 "I heard them talking in the room once but I haven't exactly had a conversation with her since she was a kid."
 "She's a pretty girl, I'll give her that. And sweet too. I can see what Tucker likes in her. She really is good for him."
 "What is it that she doesn't like?"
 "It's not what she doesnt like, it's just . . I don't know really. I think she knows he likes her. Well, I'm certain she knows, but I think she just enjoys him as a friend only for right now. It's not like she's cold and won't date him because of his condition, but I think she feels bad for him, and if she ever hurt him she would hate herself for it."
 "How do you know that?"
 "Because I'm sixty-eight, dear. I'm old enough to know everything now."
 Rosie nodded and smiled. "I guess you're right."
 "One thing I do know: You can't stop love. It's something that is so magical and unbelievable that not even you can understand it; nonetheless the people around you. You just have to let it come your way and hope for the best. Even if it isn't meant to be, you will never, ever forget it."
 Rosie said nothing. Her grandmother was so right in so many ways she didn't know possible. Love was unstoppable. She knew she loved John, but was it really unconditional? That no matter what he or she did, it would never come to an end?
 

That was her last thought before the dreams were wrapped in and out of her brain.
 She was back in high school.
 Caroline, her best friend back in the day, ran up to her with the biggest smile stretched across her fair skin. "Johnny Marcus wants to ask you out! Can you believe it? One of the hottest guys. At our school. In the city. In the whole world! He likes you, Rose." She was jumping up and down by then, and she assumed people had already thought she was psycho so there really was no point in feeling embarassed when she was with her anymore.
 "How do you know?"
 "He told me. All you have to do is come find him at lunch. Well, you and I will go find him at lunch. Unless you really don't want me to come. I guess I wouldn't want you coming with me if a gorgeous guy like Johnny asked me out. But then again it would be nice to have someone with me to make it less awkward.
"Oh my goodness, what if he wants to kiss you? I was thinking . ." And so she went on. And on and on and on. Which she did when she was excited.
 And being liked by Johnny Marcus was pretty exciting indeed.
 Caroline and Rosie made their way past their fellow classmates in the hall, looking for Johnny's tan, beautiful face in the sea of people.
 Until he showed up . .
 "Hey girls. Why are you walking so fast? I tried to call your name, Rosie, but you were practically sprinting I didn't think you would hear me."
 "Oh hi. We're looking for Johnny."
 "Johnny Marcus?"
 "That's the one," Caroline replied.
 "Why would you be looking for that skeez?" Skeez happened to be a relative term used by most teenagers back in the day in Carpathei. Even though looking back it was probably the dumbest word ever invented.
 "He wants to take Rosie here out on a date! Isn't that amazing? Johnny and Rosie. It sounds so good together!" Caroline went on again: typical.
 But his eyes widened a little more than usual and he actually seemed concerned.
 "Why would he want to take you out?" He was talking to Rosie now.
 "I . . I don't know. We're about to go find out, though."
 "But why would he ask you to come find him so he can ask you out?"
 "I DON'T KNOW," she said louder this time. "That's what we're going to find out," she repeated. "Is that okay with you?"
 "No," he mumbled under his breath, unintentional of the fact that it was louder than he expected. "I mean I don't care. He's just not someone I would recommend you going out with."
 "And why would you care?"
 "Because Rosie, I'm your friend and I care about you. He probably saw you in that skirt yesterday and thought some really nasty thoughts about how much better you would look without them. So i suggest you ditch him and come hang out with me today instead."
 She hesitated. "I don't know. I really think I should atleast go see what he wants to do."
 "Whatever, Rose. You don't trust me do you?"
 "I do."
 He shook his head.
 "I do! Would you please let me go see?"
 "Come on, Rose. He's right over there!" Caroline pointed.
 Rosie looked at Johnny, who was giving her "the nod," and then looked back at him, who was staring at her with the most sincere, most beautiful look he had ever given her in her entire life.
 Her heart was pulling her to him, and she couldn't resist any longer.
 "Rosalie! Come ON!" Caroline shouted.
 "Just forget him, Rose. You have me. You've always had me."

Author's Note

Let me know what you think!